Rishi Sunak faces PMQs as UK inflation drops to a two-and-a-half year low

Rishi Sunak will face Prime Minister’s Questions as UK inflation drops to a two-and-a-half-year low.

Inflation figures dropped in March on the back of a further easing in food prices, official figures have shown.

The Office for National Statistics (ONS) said Consumer Prices Index inflation stood at 3.2% in March, down from 3.4% in February.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said the figures show “that after a tough couple of years, our economic plan is working”.

The drop was linked to a slowdown in food price inflation, which was also its lowest for more than two years.

It comes as the UK’s foreign secretary Lord Cameron has arrived in Israel for talks with its leaders.

Israel is “making the decision to act” in response to Saturday’s attack by Iran, he said.

Sunak delivered a similar message to Israeli premier Benjamin Netanyahu in a phone call on Tuesday, saying it was “time for calm heads to prevail”.

However, speaking to broadcasters in Jerusalem on Wednesday, the foreign secretary said Israel appeared to be preparing to retaliate.

Elsewhere, the Prime Minister declined to comment on reports that RAF aircraft could be used to deport asylum seekers to Rwanda.

Asked whether it would be appropriate to use RAF aircraft, he told broadcasters: “My priority is to stop the boats.

“I said this very clearly when I became Prime Minister and right now we are trying to get the Bill through Parliament in the face of enormous opposition from the Labour Party.”

The Safety of Rwanda (Asylum and Immigration) Bill returns to the Commons on Wednesday, after the House of Lords again pressed demands for revisions, prolonging the parliamentary wrangling.

He added: “We must stop the boats because it is a matter of fairness.”